Marlene Ott McDougall

1936 - 2025

Marlene Ott McDougall

October 18, 1936 - September 22, 2025

Placerville, California - Marlene (Marti) Ott was born in Sacramento, Ca. to Philip and Lillian Ott on October 18, 1936. Her sisters were Phyllis and Judy and her brother Mervin. Marti attended Sac. High, Sac. Jr. College and Sacramento State University where she graduated with a teaching credential. She later took graduate level courses toward a masters degree. Marti taught at Bret Harte and Mariemont elementary and others. She loved teaching young children particularly in helping them develop their minds to think. But most of her career was devoted to raising her three children.

She met her future husband Robert (Bob) on a snow trip when she was 13 and he 15 years old. That followed by a bike ride and then a date to a movie on the bus. From that time on, they were together and never parted. They married in 1958 and have been happily married for 67 years.

Marti just liked to work and had many summer and part time jobs while going to school. She started early as a teen working at a snow cone stand at the State Fair. Then Weinstock's Dept. Store, her dad's brick contracting company and many others. She worked at a photo shop where she met Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian explorer, and did much of the photo finishing work for his books and lectures.

The fun job Marti really loved was working at the Music Circus.

Marti and Bob planed to move to San Jose so Bob could finish his last two years of college at San Jose State University. They married at their Lutheran Church and after the reception, left for a wonderful two day honeymoon in Carmel before starting school Monday morning. They made up for the rush later on with a second honeymoon to Carmel at the same place. Marti took on several temporary jobs during this period including being a Personal Secretary for executives at FMC Corp. and the City of San Jose.

After Bob graduated, they returned to Sacramento- it was then Marti's turn.

She went back to the University to complete her degree and student teaching. They settled in Arden Park in Sacramento where they raised their children and after retirement moved to Placerville, Ca. in 2008.

Marti was active in school affairs and sang in several different choirs. She also played the piano quite well and loved classical music. She did modeling work at Department Stores, but turned down agency offers for a modeling career with a possible TV future as it was not the right path for her life. Marti also resisted pressure from fraternities and college clubs to run for Campus Queen and Sacramento's Camilla Queen for similar reasons. Marti was a member of the college ski club, played softball but really loved snow and water skiing and tennis. Later on, Marti held office in the PTA, helped the kids with scouting and was a pink lady at Mercy Hospital delivering books and flowers to patients with a great smile and a word of encouragement.

Marti and Bob spent much time with family and relatives at Lake Tahoe at the cabin her father built where they did much skiing, fishing, hiking and playing a lot of pinochle. A couple of the standout trips they took was a train trip to the east coast and back to see the fall colors and touring England, Wales and Scotland. Marti didn't really want to take the train trip- probably too long and dull, but when it ended, she loved it and didn't want to get off the train.

Marti was a member of the Lutheran Church early on and maintained her deep faith in God her whole life. She is now in the presence of the Lord. She was beautiful to the end and her personality, kindness and humor shined throughout her life. She was popular and well liked and loved by family and always by her husband Bob. The children love and appreciate her as a mother and how they were brought up. Her friends and school mates called her the All American Girl and that is what she was.

Her immediate family consists of husband Robert, sons Sean (Engie) and Eric (Jill) and daughter Sara Gross (Deryk). Marti passed away on September 22, 2025. A private gravesite gathering was held in her honor. She devoted her life to her family and was so much a part of us and we greatly appreciate her, miss her and will love her continually.